For many Western Australians fish and chips on the beach is a well established ritual woven into many trips to the beach, particularly in the evening. This food that is common all over the world is particularly loved in WA where beach life is a significant part of our culture. No doubt the food was brought with the English immigrants who have settled here over the past 200 odd years. Wrapped in paper, potato chips (thicker than fries) and fillets of fish in batter deep fried, covered in salt and white vinegar, fish and chips are best eaten immediately right on the beach with the sand between your toes.
We recently initiated our toddler into this tradition for the first time while we were on a mini-break in Cervantes, a beach town a couple of hours north of Perth. Our baby was more taken with the chips than the fish and joined her mum and dad in heartily gobbling the contents of our paper package down. The three of us sat on the sand and watched the sunset over the gentle waves of the Indian Ocean at Cervantes. Once it was dark and we were completely stuffed we headed back to our campsite, most satisfied with our simple, but delicious meal.
Fish ‘n chips on the beach is not the most complicated of institutions, but it’s an enduring one here in WA and one that was fun to share with our little darling. Here’s to many more evenings on the beach.